Musical Theatre
Sizwe Dlamini|Published
THE South African State Theatre (SAST) presents Ingoma-busuku/Nightsong: A Journey of Music, Longing and Discovery, a captivating South African musical theatre production running from 16 October to 1 November 2026 at the Drama Theatre.
Rooted in the rich tradition of isicathamiya, the production brings together music, ancestry, history and a young man’s compelling search for identity and belonging.
Set in Durban, Nightsong follows Jabulani (Jabu), a gifted teenage musician haunted by recurring night songs — dreams carrying ancestral voices and unfinished histories.
Raised by his mother, Nomasonto, in Berea and trained in Western classical music by retired concert pianist Mrs Smith, Jabu finds himself increasingly drawn to isicathamiya and the mysterious legacy of his absent father, Stitch, a revered isicathamiya singer.
Moving between Berea, Dalton Hostel and Inanda Township, the production brings Western classical and African musical traditions into a powerful conversation.
Inspired by apartheid- era all-night isicathamiya gatherings, Nightsong remembers music as more than entertainment: It becomes a sanctuary, an archive of memory and a powerful expression of resistance, community and survival.
Featuring authentic isicathamiya voices, a live band and a dynamic ensemble, Nightsong celebrates African music as memory, inheritance and cultural power.
At its heart is a moving story about reconciliation, family and the courage to discover where we come from in order to understand who we are.
The production is directed and musically directed by Themba Mkhize, co-directed by Dr Mxolisi Norman and choreographed by Oscar Buthelezi, alongside a creative team bringing this distinctly South African story to life.
Come and hear the night sing. From 16 October to 1 November, the Drama Theatre becomes a meeting place for music, memory and ancestry – where the songs of the past find their voice in a new generation.